“During his over 44 years in public service, Eliot Engel fought tirelessly for his constituents at home and for peace and security around the world,” the family said in a statement, per The Associated Press.
Engel first won election to Congress in 1988, defeating a 10-term incumbent on a reform-focused campaign. More than three decades later, he left office after losing a 2020 Democratic primary to now-former Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D) in a race widely viewed as an upset by the party’s left wing.
A former teacher and New York State Assembly member, Engel rose through the ranks of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, becoming its chair in 2019. He was known as a strong supporter of Israel and was among the early lawmakers to advocate for U.S. military intervention during the Kosovo conflict in the 1990s, when ethnic Albanians sought independence from Serbia.
A NATO-led bombing campaign, backed by the United States and the United Kingdom, contributed to the conditions that ultimately led to Kosovo’s independence years later, noted the AP.
Engel was “a fierce advocate for Kosovo and the Albanian community at a time when few others were paying attention,” said U.S. Rep. Richie Torres, a fellow Bronx Democrat, in a statement late last week.
Engel also played a role in negotiating the Harkin–Engel Protocol, which sought to address the worst forms of child labor in West Africa’s cocoa industry.
We are saddened by the passing of former Congressman Eliot Engel, and send our deepest condolences to his family.
Rep. Engel diligently served his native Bronx, and Westchester, for more than 4 decades, working to champion human rights on the world stage.https://t.co/vjjm8hqlTE
— Office of the Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams (@nycpa) April 12, 2026
As chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Engel was also involved during the 2019–2020 impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, which examined efforts to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to investigate political rival Joe Biden.
Nothing that Trump did or said to Zelensky was considered a violation of the Constitution or U.S. law and he was not convicted by the Senate.
During his time in office, Engel became well-known for waiting for hours to secure an aisle seat in the House chamber for the State of the Union address. He did this so he could greet the president—visible to TV cameras—as the chief executive entered.
However, Rep. George Latimer, a Democrat who now holds what was Engel’s seat, said “his legacy consists of hard work on issues and kindness to all,” per the AP.
Meanwhile, a recent court filing indicates that former first son Hunter Biden is currently living outside the United States as he faces ongoing legal and financial disputes. The disclosure was made in an April 6 filing submitted in Washington, D.C., by his attorney, Barry Coburn, in connection with a lawsuit brought by law firm Winston & Strawn.
The firm is seeking payment for legal services related to Biden’s previous cases, The Daily Mail reported. The filing states that Biden “lives abroad” and argues that he is unable to pay outstanding legal fees. According to the complaint, the firm claims he owes more than $50,000 for services provided over several years.
Coburn described Biden as “impecunious,” indicating he does not have sufficient funds to cover additional legal expenses tied to the case. The filing also notes that Biden has not retained billing consultants, forensic accountants or electronic discovery vendors due to financial constraints.
Biden has previously acknowledged significant financial challenges. During a podcast appearance last year, he said he was in approximately $17 million in debt, largely related to legal costs accumulated over several years.
His legal matters have included federal tax and firearms cases, along with multiple civil disputes. Abbe Lowell, a partner at Winston & Strawn, represented Biden in those proceedings.
